By the time Shepherd Eizen went to bed, Edna and Rohan were still talking together, and it didn't look like they were going to stop anytime soon. Maybe it was just Eizen's imagination, but he thought he could feel echoes of her happiness through her Sub Lord pact; either way, he was happy for her.
Once he was done cleaning up in preparation for bed, he went into the room on the far right end of the hall, unbuckled his katana, took off his cloak, gloves, tunic, and boots, untied his short ponytail, and sat cross-legged on the bed he'd chosen of the two, cupping his hands into a circle in front of his navel as he thought over the most recent events. They had a water seraph now, and one who could fight - a strange one, but much better than he had dared to hope for just the previous day. Niko's trap had been averted, and his big sis was enjoying a date. He was glad he'd suggested they spend the night here rather than going home to Ladylake just yet - they'd been through a lot on their journey, and for Edna to have something nice was its own reward.
In all, he concluded, it had been a good day. Tomorrow, they would attain the spiritual power of water and face Niko and her minions, but though he was nervous, he wasn't worried anymore. Sighing contentedly, he emerged from his trance, and was just getting under the blankets when the door to his room opened and Zaveid's boots clicked across the floor.
"Uncle?" Eizen asked. "Where have you been?"
"Oh, you're still awake, huh kiddo?" Zaveid remarked, taking off his hat and setting it on his own bedside table. "I thought I'd test the waters and see if I could score myself a little celebration for finding the last bit of help we need, but I struck out."
"Struck out?" Eizen repeated.
"Yeah…" The wind seraph shrugged, then stretched before unbuckling his weapons. "It's my own fault, really. I spent so much time on the prowl around here when I was waiting for a World Tree Leaf to grow for Cellie, all the ladies in this town are either too tough to crack or been there, done that. But hey, maybe I'll have better luck in my dreams."
Eizen stared at Zaveid with a bemused smile as his uncle kicked off his boots and rolled onto the bed he'd been left with. "You know, uncle," he remarked, "I think I kind of hate you for being the reason I have any idea what you're talking about."
Zaveid chuckled. "Hey, the whole family always knew I was gonna be the one to teach you about the less wholesome things in life," he smirked. "Besides, you're not gonna stay all pure and innocent forever."
"I'd rather stay pure and innocent than turn into someone like you," Eizen retorted fondly.
"Says the kid who was up all night celebrating his youngest sister's birthday, woke up after maybe an hour to find his house on fire, was attacked by his other sister after she turned into the Lord of Calamity, left his father behind to fight his sister, dragged his mother halfway across the kingdom, watched his mother have a complete mental breakdown right in front of him, and yet still wanted to go to school the next day," Zaveid countered. He turned his head to grin at his nephew. "Come on, kiddo, you're always so serious. Lighten up a little. Today's lucky streak might have run dry for me, but maybe it hasn't for you - go knocking on the room two doors down and see if you can't make a move on Sadie."
"She and Sahra are probably having their usual late-night talk," Eizen pointed out.
"Oh, I'm sure Sahra won't mind," Zaveid dismissed with a wave of his hand. "You know it's mainly because of her that Sadie's warmed up in the last week, I'm sure she'll be more than happy to give you two some privacy. Give your girl a kiss and see if she kisses you back. Who knows? You might get lucky."
"I already told you," Eizen groaned, "I can't ask her to marry me."
"Who said anything about marriage?" Zaveid responded, raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm just suggesting you go and have a little fun for once."
Eizen shook his head. "Zaveid," he sighed, "can I ask you something?"
"Want some instructions?" Zaveid snickered.
"No, I just…If I actually went and did what you're suggesting I go and do, would you really be proud of me?" Eizen asked. "Or are you only saying this because you know there's no way I ever would?"
"Oh, for the love of…" Zaveid groaned, letting his head fall back on his pillow. "You Shepherd types are always so serious. I feel like I'm trying to advise Sorey all over again - which is funny, because unlike Sorey, at least you actually have interest in women. Well," he amended, "a woman."
"You're avoiding the question," Eizen pointed out. "Why do you always act like this?"
"Can we talk about this some other time?" Zaveid grumbled, and Eizen knew that this was his way of shutting down. "I was just suggesting you lighten up for a change, but you had to go and make it all heavy and meaningful, and I'm not up for that right now."
Are you ever? "Fine," Eizen relented, lying down himself. "Good night, uncle Zaveid."
"Good night, kiddo."
As he rolled onto his side, though, Eizen couldn't completely shove all thoughts of Zaveid's suggestion out of his head. There had been times, growing up, when he'd wished for even a fraction of his uncle's boldness, but now that he was the Shepherd, he was glad he'd practiced restraint and discipline instead. I can't ask for anything from Sadie, he reminded himself, not even if she is starting to open up. I am the Shepherd. I stand alone.
Instead, he turned his thoughts to what the following day would bring. They would travel north, up through Lakehaven Heights, and take the Water Trial at the Lefay Shrine. The other trials had been hard on all of them, but unless something went drastically wrong, he had no reason to worry they might fail this one, whatever it might demand. He would have to get some practice armatizing with Lucine, though - Lucine had made him and Sadie promise not to speak her true name loud enough for Sahra or Edna to hear even if they did armatize, but that just made practice that much more important: armatizing without shouting the seraph's true name would take work, he needed to be ready to do it right by the time they reached the Water Trial.
After that…though they should probably start searching immediately for Niko and her minions, Eizen hoped he could convince his comrades to stop by Ladylake so he could see his mother and youngest sister again first. They must be worried sick about him by now, or at least his mother must be…He felt bad that she had probably been fretting for days, upset that he hadn't come home. She needed reassurance that everything was okay, that they were set up to finish this ordeal before too much longer and this whole mess would soon be behind them. And maybe, if he was lucky, he'd get to see David again before they set out to hunt Niko down…
David. It seemed like lifetimes since the last time Eizen had thought of his childhood best friend, and he wondered if they would still be friends after all that had happened. Eizen knew he wasn't the same person he'd been the night of Cellie's birthday - he'd seen and done far too much to just go back to the life he'd had before, to be the person he'd been before…but he hoped David would still stand by him, changed as he was. After all, his friend had stood by him without even a second thought when he'd learned of Eizen's family story, there was no reason to think he'd reject him now.
Maybe I'm not so alone…
At some point, Eizen must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, sunlight was streaming through the windows, rousing him from what felt like a refreshing slumber. Determined, if nervous about what the day would bring, he got up, cleaned up, and got dressed…and yet still, his uncle hadn't woken.
Eizen looked at the comatose wind seraph across the room as he tied back his shaggy black hair, distantly noting that it was getting a little too long for his liking. In the last few moments, Zaveid had started to move around, yet he still seemed to be asleep. When the Prime Lord began muttering things under his breath, Eizen realized he was dreaming. Well, at least he waited until after I woke up to start sleep-talking, he thought as he crossed the room. Reaching out a hand to shake his uncle awake, Eizen was abruptly frozen in place when one of Zaveid's murmurings came out perfectly intelligible:
"…Theodora…"
Theodora? Eizen thought. That's…his dead girlfriend, right? The one my namesake killed after she turned into a dragon?…He must be dreaming about her, he realized. And if I wake him up…
"…no…" mumbled Zaveid. "…no, never…never, babe…don't let go…" - or was it "won't let go"? - "…don't leave…I'd never…"
Gritting his teeth, Eizen steeled his resolve. It's just a dream, he reminded himself, and all dreams end sooner or later - even my mother's dream world ended eventually. Whether I'm the one who wakes him up or not, he's going to have to face reality, and we have important things to do.
"Zaveid," he said, unable to manage a loud voice even as he put a hand on the wind seraph's tattooed arm and shook him slightly. "Zaveid, wake up."
"Hnngh?" Zaveid groaned, turning over.
"Come on, uncle," Eizen said, shaking him again. "I'm sorry, but we have to get going."
Blearily, the Prime Lord opened his orange eyes, blinking a few times in confusion. Eizen winced, anticipating the moment when - and yes, there it was, the sudden, wide-eyed shock of realization, followed by tremendous pain.
"I'm sorry," Eizen whispered as Zaveid sat up and swung his legs over the side of his bed.
"For what?" Zavied grunted, pulling his boots on.
Acknowledging it would probably just make things worse, Eizen decided, and he opened his mouth to take back his words when there was a sudden, frantic pounding on the door.
"What's going on in there?!" called a panicked voice that Eizen took a moment to realize belonged to Lucine. "Is everything okay?! What happened?!"
The door shook, and Eizen got worried that she might actually break it down. Before that could happen, he ran over, unlocked the door, and opened it for her. Lucine burst inside, spear in hand, mana glowing under her skin as she prepared a seraphic arte…then looked around in what seemed like confusion, her arte fading.
"Uh…" Eizen felt as bewildered as she looked. "Lucine? Is everything…okay?"
"I should be asking you!" she exclaimed, still looking around the room wildly. "I…I…" Apparently realizing there was nothing to fight, she put her weapon away, her pale cheeks flushing. "I…I thought someone in here was in deathly pain," she told Eizen in a small voice. "I was worried that a hellion had gotten in."
"Um…no," Eizen told her, still baffled. "No, no hellions."
"But then…" Her violet eyes wandered from Eizen to Zaveid, and she gasped. "You are in pain!" she exclaimed, stepping closer to him. "What happened? Is there anything I can do?"
Eizen turned to Zaveid, and was alarmed at the sudden flame of indignation in his uncle's orange eyes.
"You can get the hell out of our room, that's what you can do!" Zaveid shouted, standing up to tower over her. "Who do you think you are, barging in here uninvited?! Get the hell out!" Before she could even respond, he lifted a hand, and white fire ignited in his palm. "Get out, or I'll use my power as Prime Lord to make you!"
"Zaveid," Eizen began, desperately trying to get some sort of grip on the situation.
"I…" Lucine whimpered, her eyes filling and overflowing with tears as she cowered away from the furious wind seraph. "I…I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."
And she turned and ran out the still-open door, sobbing. Eizen stared after her, then turned to Zaveid, only to see his uncle fall to his knees, his eyes wide and haunted.
Finally, all was still. Eizen looked at Zaveid, then at the door, then back to Zaveid, completely and utterly bewildered. "What…" He shook his head. "I'm sorry, what just happened?" he finally managed to ask.
"Nothing," Zaveid growled, his face shutting down, and he stood up calmly. "Nothing just happened."
"But…" Eizen shook his head again as Zaveid started strapping his weapons back onto his wrists. "But she…somehow she knew you were in pain-"
"She didn't know anything," Zaveid stated in a low voice.
"Uncle," Eizen sighed, "you were talking in your sleep."
Zaveid went utterly still.
"I know you were dreaming about…her," Eizen said, too confused to keep to himself. "Your…you know, Theodora. And then I had to wake you, and you had to remember-"
"Not one more word!" Zaveid snapped, his back still to Eizen, and he finished strapping on his weapons. "Lucine doesn't know anything, and she never will."
"I don't understand," Eizen said helplessly. "I don't understand any of what just happened. Come to think of it, since when do you lose your temper? You never lost your temper with us when we were growing up, not even with Niko, at least not like this…You've lost your temper with Sadie, but I know she's…Wait." He blinked as it suddenly occurred to him. "You've only lost your temper since you became Prime Lord. Is that what you sacrificed?"
"In a way," Zaveid sighed, donning his hat and turning around at last. "My sacrifice means I can't keep my cool like I used to."
"But why…What did you have to get mad about with Lucine?" Eizen asked. "I don't understand."
"And you won't," Zaveid stated. "You can't understand everything in the world, kiddo. Now listen here." He strode up to get right in Eizen's face, his red-brown eyes blazing. "What happened in this room stays in this room. We're all going to move on and act like this morning never happened. You hear me?"
"I…I hear you," Eizen stammered. But I don't understand, he added silently as they left.
Outside, Sadie and Sahra were waiting for them, but Lucine and Edna were missing.
"Where are the others?" Eizen asked Sahra, worried that Lucine might been scared off entirely.
"Lucine's getting Edna," Sahra answered, her weak smile indicating that she knew something was going on, but that Lucine had probably made a request similar to Zaveid's. "We figured we should let her sleep in as long as possible, since she was up so late."
"Up late doing what, exactly?" Zaveid snickered; surprised, Eizen glanced at him, and saw only the carefree uncle he'd always known, with no hint as to his outburst just a couple of minutes earlier.
"Talking," came a slightly grumpy voice from the door to Edna and Lucine's room.
Eizen turned around, and saw his big sis, stone-faced as ever, looking haughtily at Zaveid; behind her, Lucine emerged without a word, her posture timid, her eyes wet, though she didn't make a sound.
"Unlike you, Pig-veid," Edna went on pointedly, "Rohan is a proper gentleman."
"Sounds boring to me," Zaveid shrugged. "Let me know when you want a real good time, and I'll give it to ya."
"Keep dreaming," Edna huffed.
Wincing at the mention of dreams, Eizen stepped forward and asked, "Did you have a good time last night, Edna?"
"Sure," Edna replied casually, though Eizen knew her well enough to see that she was radiating with happiness. "Once we're done cleaning up this mess, I'll definitely be coming back to see him again. For now, though, we should head to the Lefay Shrine."
She took her place within Eizen's chest, and the other seraphim followed suit.
"Do you want to say goodbye to him?" Eizen asked, the question aimed at Edna.
No, she replied, we said our goodbyes last night, with the understanding that I wouldn't see him again until our job was done.
"Alright then." Eizen made for the door out of the inn, and Sadie followed. Turning his attention to the cool, soothing presence next to his heart, Eizen said, "Lucine, if it's okay with you, Sadie and I need to get some practice armatizing with you before we take the Water Trial."
Of course, Lucine said, her voice as timid as ever but not shaky. I'm more than willing to help however I can. But…I would appreciate it if you both keep your promise.
"Right," Eizen nodded.
What promise? Edna asked.
"She made us promise not to speak her true name out loud when we armatize with her," Eizen replied, "or at least not to the point where you or Sahra could hear it."
Are you ever going to tell us what the big deal is with your true name? Sahra inquired.
I hope not, Lucine answered.
Everyone waited for the water seraph to elaborate, but she said nothing more. All things considered, Eizen wondered just how worried about his water seraph he should be. As long as she can fight, there's no need to press her, he decided as they left the village, keeping his thought to himself. Anything else is her business, until she decides to tell us what her deal is.
~o~
Outside Marlind, when they came across more hellions, Eizen thought Lucine's true name, mouthing it only slightly, and found that this worked just as well as saying it out loud: Lucine's essence merged with his flesh readily, distinctly different from the wildness of Zaveid, the stoicness of Edna, and the blazing passion of Sahra; her power sang of calm, of life, of peaceful continuity. Odd, since the water seraph rarely acted even remotely calm.
It turned out the weapon for the water armatus was a bow - this was surprising, and unlike his other seraphim, Lucine seemed to have no idea how to wield her conjured weapon, leaving Eizen to guess on his own. Luckily, it proved intuitive enough, and he was able to launch bursts and blasts of water mana at his foes from a remarkable distance, each arte taking the place of an arrow or several. By the time they got to the Griflet Bridge, Eizen was comfortable armatizing with his water seraph, and he told Sadie to start taking charge, with a few tips to help the Squire adjust.
Finally, they were crossing the bridge that led to the northern Falkewin Hillside. Coming back across the river was just as surreal as crossing it the first time had been - it had only been a matter of weeks since that day, yet everything was different now: Eizen had seen the entire continent, withstood ancient trials of his spirit and met with old friends of his parents, bonded with new seraphim and ended a man's life. Despite all that, Falkewin Hillside looked just the same as it had when he'd come here to ask Maotelus to attend his youngest sister's birthday party, and though it could have been unsettling, the familiarity turned out to be comforting. No matter what happens, this is still home.
Together, they made their way up to Lakehaven Heights, passing the bridge that led into the city that was still surrounded by a barrier to keep the Lord of Calamity out, where everyone else he knew who didn't serve Niko waited for him. Though he longed to take the detour and visit with his mother, Eizen forged ahead with his Squire and seraphim.
There's a waterfall around that hill, Edna told him as they reached the northern stretches of the area. You'll have to cross some deep water to get to it, but Silver Wind can carry you across just fine. The entrance to the Lefay Shrine is behind that.
"Got it," Eizen nodded.
Suddenly, a torrent of fire spewed from the cliffside a ways ahead of them, cutting off the path forward. Reflexively, Eizen turned around, but even as he moved, two enormous shapes leapt from the stony heights beyond the fire, and more flames cascaded down in front of him, blocking his retreat. Dragons' wings whipped the air as the two beasts split from each other and began to swoop around overhead, still breathing fire to draw a wide circle on the ground around the Shepherd and his Squire; within five seconds, Eizen and Sadie were trapped. Over the sound of the inferno, Eizen heard Niko's deranged laughter…and yet, he couldn't feel a malevolent domain.
All four seraphim emerged, ready to fight so long as they were able to manifest, and suddenly, the white-horned dragon blasted them with even more fire. Eizen dodged, as did his allies, and somehow this maneuver left all five of his comrades on the opposite side of a new wall of flames from him, sealing them in a small pocket. Then, as Eizen took a step closer to try to reunite with his companions, a loud thump! in the grass behind him stopped him in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around, and was met with the sight of his corrupted father grinning at him, glowing red eyes slitted and radiating with malicious intent.
"Where do you think you're going, son?" the four-armed hellion asked, drawing each of his four ancient blades, daggers in the lower arms, greatswords in the upper. "Did you really think you could dodge us like that? No Rangetsu should run from a fight."
"Father," Eizen breathed, putting a hand to the hilt of his katana.
"You're lucky I still want this to be a fair contest," Rokurou sneered. "Otherwise, I might have convinced Niko to not give you a chance. But even if you are a coward, you're still my son, and we're going to do this the right way."
"A chance?" Eizen looked up at the two dragons hovering overhead, only one of which now bore a rider.
"I am suppressing my domain, dear brother," Niko called from the back of her white-horned mount. "And I will do so for the rest of the day, so long as you follow our rules."
"Traditionally, a fight between a Rangetsu and their parent is one-on-one," Rokurou stated, "but with all this power at my disposal, that's hardly an honorable match. So, we're going to let you pick one seraph to fight with you - only one. If anyone else interferes in this fight, Niko will use her power to cripple you and render all of your seraphim helpless, so make your choice wisely."
"Hey big guy!" Sahra called from behind the wall of fire that trapped her with Sadie and the other seraphim. "Do you remember me?"
Rokurou turned his attention to the fire seraph.
"I used to be a human named Rose!" Sahra told him, her voice raised over the crackling of the flames. "You asked me for help freeing your girlfriend from the earthpulse five hundred years ago…and you also beat me in a fight, then promised me a rematch that never happened!"
"You," Rokurou hissed. "Heiress to the ways of my ancestors…yes, I remember you…" His red eyes turned back on Eizen. "I've changed my mind," he told his son; "your ally for this fight will be Rose."
"Her name is Sahra," Eizen informed him.
"Come on, Eizen," Sahra grinned, "let me at 'em!"
"It would be only right," Rokurou agreed. "A battle truly worthy of the Rangetsu Clan!"
Everything was happening so fast. Eizen looked between his father, his allies, and the Lord of Calamity who waited on high, taking in the sudden challenge and its rules. As much as he didn't want to admit it, there really weren't any better options than to do as Niko and his father said, and if he had to have one ally, he would rather it be Sahra. "Okay," he agreed, nodding. "Sahra, come join me. The rest of you…stay back. Don't interfere."
"Are you crazy?!" Sadie exclaimed as the flames parted slightly, granting Sahra access to the arena.
"We don't have a choice," Eizen said gravely. "Niko's power is still enough to overwhelm all of us, since we haven't finished the last trial. We have to follow her rules, or we're all dead."
"You really trust Niko to play fair?" Edna asked tonelessly.
"No," Eizen said, turning back to face his opponent, "but I do trust my father. Even malevolent, his honor defines him, and always has."
Rokurou gave a wicked grin. "At least you know something about our clan," he remarked.
Sahra drew her daggers, and Eizen drew his katana.
"Do your allies agree?" Niko called from above.
"Of course not!" Sadie exclaimed, and Eizen turned back in alarm to see her drawing her battleax.
"Sadie, please," Eizen begged. "Please, just stay back. We have to do it this way."
"But-" Sadie began.
Abruptly, white fire lit in Zaveid's upraised palm. His expression grave, the wind seraph declared, "Edna, Lucine, as Prime Lord, I'm ordering you to stand down. I will as well. Sadie…" He glanced at the Squire and sighed. "I don't have power over you like I have over my Sub Lords, but if you'd do us all a favor, I'd appreciate it if you stay out of this, too. This fight is family business, and we need to let these three have it out."
"I can always count on you, Zaveid," Rokurou chuckled. "Maybe, once you join us, I'll ride you around instead of Mikleo."
"Only the ladies get to ride me," Zaveid smirked.
Edna, Sahra, and Eizen all groaned reflexively, but Eizen focused on the important revelation here: The dragon my father's been riding is Mikleo, so the white-horned dragon must be Lailah. Somehow, that made sense, even if he didn't really know what made a seraph turn into a white-horned dragon.
"Do you accept our terms, Squire?" Niko pressed.
"I…" Sadie looked at Zaveid…then nodded reluctantly and holstered her weapon. "Yes," she conceded. "I will…stand down."
Niko laughed her unhinged laugh, and the dragons swooped down and began renewing the dying walls of fire that encircled the combatants, as well as the line that separated Eizen and Sahra from their allies. Already, the heat and smoke were choking the air, but Eizen had faced much worse in the Igraine Shrine, and he shoved aside all thoughts and discomfort to focus entirely on his father: Focus now, think later.
"Wilkis Wilk!" he declared, raising his left hand, and Sahra's blazing essence merged with his body to form a being more powerful than either of them alone, their weapons giving way to the massive two-handed sword of the fire armatus.
"Quite a sword," Rokurou commented, taking a defensive stance. "But will it be enough? Let's find out!"
Normally, Eizen waited, sizing up his father's position, but this time - when he actually intended to win - he didn't give Rokurou a moment to brace himself before charging forward, both hands gripping the flaming sword tightly. Both he and Sahra expected a dodge, and that was exactly what Rokurou responded with as they swung their weapon, but when they adjusted to follow his movement, one greatsword and two daggers all sang out and deflected their blow, while the remaining greatsword swept towards them, almost too close to be avoided. With the reflexes of a Rangetsu, Eizen changed course at the last moment, leaping out of the way of the great silver-and-black blade, Sahra's power flowing through his muscles as her equally-quick reflexes augmented his own.
There was no time to think, no time to judge, no time to reassess their strategy to fight a monster with four arms; once the first strike was made, Rokurou didn't stop moving, and neither did Eizen. Not since before becoming the Shepherd had he been forced to his limits like this - even General Donovan, though strong, hadn't demanded such speed and precision, the ability to change course on a dime while wielding a weapon longer than he was tall. From a distance, Rokurou's greatswords easily caught and deflected their blows; closer, the Kurogane Daggers moved faster than the eye could see, slicing through air and skin with equal ease.
Still, all his training - and all of Sahra's training as Rose - had not been for nothing. Eizen knew how his father fought, he knew the Rangetsu style by heart, and though there was nothing in the Rangetsu style about fighting with four arms, he found that if he focused on each pair of arms as a separate foe, he could track everything his father would do and act in accordance. When at last their sword connected with Rokurou's black-and-red skin, knocking the ancient swordsman back, Eizen couldn't help but grin.
"Not bad, son," Rokurou growled, still swinging his blades with precision and grace. "I raised you well!"
Eizen didn't respond, didn't have the mental capacity to respond - all his focus, all his energy, was on this one battle, a battle against a truly worthy opponent. It felt like something ingrained in his blood, to give himself entirely to the fight and hold nothing back, a sort of invigorating calmness as his weapon obeyed his thoughts as much as his hands. He knew Sahra felt it too, to a lesser extent, but the stoic intensity of combat left the knowledge at the back of his mind - to know, but not think, only be. He didn't have to remind himself to focus now and think later, he simply did, each blow he took and each one he dealt felt and registered but not dwelt upon. There was only the sharp edges of swords, the burning of his fire-imbued muscles, and his father, whom he knew was giving just as much as he was.
Breathe. Dodge, counterstrike. Backwards flip, take a breath, lunge forward. All that Eizen was was immersed in the battle, combining fire-based seraphic artes with the Rangetsu style, the techniques of his ancestors, and he knew nothing but each step in the deadly dance that was his contest with his father. Even as his armatized flesh took blows and sustained injuries, the flaming sword felt light as a feather, as did his spirit. Not even the knowledge that his opponent was his father could take away from what he was feeling, a euphoria that felt like flying, like truly living. His foe was taking damage, too, almost as much as he was - and for all the power of malevolence, Rokurou Rangetsu was just one man. Standing strong with a seraph merged with his body, Eizen knew that, though it would be close, he would win.
Suddenly, as one of the Kurogane Daggers jabbed Eizen's arm, Rokurou shouted, "Killing slash!"
A dark domain froze time, leaving him helpless as Rokurou's movements blurred, two legendary greatswords slashing into him from all sides.
"With all the power of the darkness…" Rokurou intoned.
Both greatswords crossed behind Eizen's back, pulling him within range of his father's short swords.
"…there is nothing a Rangetsu can't destroy!" his father declared, his lower arms moving too fast to see as innumerable wounds were dealt across Eizen's torso and face.
"Form 10:" Rokurou snarled, slashing the daggers in a massive X before raising them up to stab through Eizen's chest, "Savage Slaughter!"
Just as the daggers pierced his skin, Eizen felt the domain of the Mystic Arte break, and he severed the armatus with his fire seraph, leaving the short swords piercing through empty air as he and Sahra burst apart. It was all he could do to stay standing, and he knew his ally felt the same, but as Rokurou stumbled at the sudden lack of resistance, Sahra lashed out with her own daggers, and another domain froze time as she shouted, "Ready?"
Fire blazed along her blades, and she slashed with them too fast to see, almost as her opponent had.
"Prepare yourself!" she shouted, twirling around and assaulting the ancient swordsman with his own techniques. "Blazing Heron!" She leapt and summersaulted away, leaving a geyser of fire erupting from underneath Rokurou's feet.
Rokurou turned on Sahra and lunged for her, and Eizen lifted his left hand.
"Wilkis Wilk!"
Sahra dissolved into light and merged with him again, a little potential energy added to their armatization and healing the absolute worst of their wounds, though they were still badly injured. Before Rokurou could reach them again, Eizen drew on the last of their potential power for a Rejuvenation arte:
"Release my spirit! Rhapsody!"
Fire mana filled them, healing them just enough that they could keep going, and they leapt out of the way of Rokurou's next attack without even a split second to spare.
Even though they had very nearly just died, Eizen only felt a surge of energy, of determination, of joy, as he fell back into the rhythm of battle, swinging and blocking and dodging, giving his everything to take down the ancient swordsman that had given him life. Never had fighting felt so good, and some savage part of him wanted the battle to last forever.
"You feel it, don't you?" Rokurou grinned wickedly as he caught the flaming blade with his four weapons. "This is the bloodlust of our ancestors. This is what a Rangetsu lives for! You are my son, Eizen! My son!"
Eizen only leapt back, freeing his sword, before lunging forward and lashing out again, calm and collected and strong, power like he'd never known filling him. Speed beyond all comprehension backed his next swing, and he managed to connect with his father as overwhelming energy surged through him.
"Lord of Fire!" he shouted, calling on strength he couldn't remember gathering, as a domain froze time and he spun the massive blade that had doubled in size in wide circles, unleashing the full power of the fire armatus. "Crimson flame! May it burn your soul! Flamberge!"
The final blast of the Mystic Arte sent Rokurou tumbling to the ground, and the four-armed hellion did not stand up again. His body burning, Eizen watched as Rokurou tried to push himself up, then collapsed onto his stomach, defeated. The flames of purification surged through Eizen and washed over the corrupted swordsman…and nothing happened.
No.
Horror swept away the ecstasy of battle, and Eizen severed the armatus, freeing Sahra before jogging over to his downed father. The black-and-red hellion looked up at him, sheathing all four of his blades before planting his palms on the ground, panting with the effort of staying on his knees.
"Well done," Rokurou said. "You are a true Rangetsu. Now, complete the long-held tradition of the Rangetsu Clan: kill me, and claim my swords for your own."
"Kill you?!" Eizen repeated, taking a step back. "What? No! Dad, I'm not going to kill you!"
"Don't ruin this," Rokurou spat. "This is the way of our ancestors, for as long as our clan has walked this continent. You have defeated me; do not show mercy now. There is no greater honor than to be slain by my own son."
"Honor?" Eizen repeated. "What about me? What honor is there if I kill my own father?"
"It is a great honor!" Rokurou snapped. "This is how it has always been in our family! Each Shigure, leader of the clan, has risen to power by defeating and killing the previous Shigure in combat, their father or their mother. My oldest brother killed our mother to become Shigure, and she killed her father before her, who killed his father before him, who killed his mother before him, all the way back to the ancestor who first came to this continent! This is the greatest aspiration of any Rangetsu, to slay their parent, to be slain by their child; this was what we all lived for! Now kill me!"
"Are you not aware of the barbaric ways of the Rangetsu Clan?" Morgrim's words came back to Eizen now, words he realized he'd set aside and refused to consider. I never asked Edna about it, he remembered. I was going to, but I…I guess I just didn't really want to know what the answer might be. "No," he said firmly, shaking his head. "I'm not going to kill you, dad. I mean, what would I tell mom?"
"Tell her I achieved my greatest dream," Rokurou snarled, "the dream she tried to deny me. She knows this is what I've always wanted, even if she didn't let me act on it all these years."
From behind, Eizen heard Zaveid's voice, and he realized that the flames that had surrounded the battlefield had died down. "You're really gonna put her through that?" the wind seraph asked, walking over to join Eizen and Sahra, Edna right behind him. Distantly, Eizen noticed that Sadie and Lucine were missing, but he shoved the thought aside. "Do you have any idea how upset she was to lose you? Come on, man, just let us purify you so you can go home to your wife."
"My wife," Rokurou growled, and Eizen was startled to see a spark of rage in his father's glowing, crimson eyes. "I gave up everything for her. If she really loves me, the least she can do is grant me this. Kill me!" he barked at Eizen. "Kill me already! This is our way!"
"I won't do it!" Eizen sobbed. "I won't kill you, dad!"
"Kill me!" Rokurou commanded; from high above, Eizen heard the sound of Niko's hellish laughter. "I know you felt it! I know you felt the bloodlust of our ancestors, I know how much you enjoyed our fight! You are a true Rangetsu! Don't deny yourself the ultimate victory now, son!"
"What victory is there if I kill my own father?!" Eizen exclaimed.
"Just kill me!" the ancient swordsman roared.
"Rokurou, stop!"
The sudden, unexpected voice caused Eizen to jerk around in surprise. Disbelieving, he watched as his mother ran across the hillside towards them, her gray-streaked black braid streaming behind her head.
"Don't do this!" Velvet shouted. "You promised you wouldn't!"
"Stay out of this!" Rokurou snarled, lifting one hand to draw one of his greatswords and hold it out menacingly in Velvet's direction. "This is Rangetsu business, you have no right to interfere!"
Velvet skidded to a halt just shy of her husband's sword, but she didn't back down. "I'm not scared of you, Rokurou," she said with certainty. "You wouldn't hurt me."
"Try me," Rokurou ground out.
"I know you wouldn't hurt me," Velvet insisted, shaking her head slightly. "I'm home for you, Rokurou, remember? Even when you're twisted and corrupted by malevolence, I'm home for you, just like you're home for me."
"I don't need a home," Rokurou growled.
"But you have one," Velvet said gently, placing a hand over her heart. "You'll always have one, Rokurou. We're home for each other, always have been, since the day we met, and nothing will ever change that."
Eizen held his breath. Whatever happened next, it would be out of his hands, he knew that much.
"Please, don't do this," his mother pleaded. "I know you've wanted this for a long time, but you promised you'd leave that awful tradition behind. Remember? You promised you'd try, for me."
"I gave up everything for you," Rokurou bit out. "A Rangetsu, with a happy, peaceful life, in a happy, peaceful family? Do you have any idea what a disgrace that is?"
"But you were happy," Velvet said. "You were happy to not be alone anymore, to live for something other than killing and dying."
"Happiness is a lie," Rokurou spat. "There is only power and strength, victory and defeat. Nothing else matters to a Rangetsu…and you made me give up all my strength. I could have lived forever, a swordsman of unfathomable power, if not for you. Our daughter gave that back to me, and I wouldn't give it up again for anything but an honorable death!"
"You weren't all-powerful," Velvet pointed out. "Something was always missing, remember? For all your centuries searching for something more, searching for your answer, you never found it. I didn't make you give up being a daemon, you chose it, because you knew there was something you weren't getting. I only…helped you see that. As you did for me."
"I had the power to pull apart a Mana Wheel!" Rokurou sneered. "I had strength beyond imagination! What more could there be in this world?!"
"Your strength didn't pull apart the Mana Wheel, Rokurou," Velvet said softly, and though her voice didn't crack, Eizen saw a tear well at the corner of one golden eye.
"I pulled apart that seal!" Rokurou shouted. "With only my swords, I destroyed a mana construct even Maotelus couldn't touch!"
"No." Velvet shook her head. "Rokurou…there's something I've never told you. Something I've never told anyone. I should have told you, but I…I was ashamed…" She choked, and the tears were streaming down her cheeks now.
Rokurou growled wordlessly.
"When I told you how my dream world ended," Velvet whimpered, "I said that I went to bed prepared for a fishing trip with my sister and my nephew, and then the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the earthpulse with you standing over me. But…that was a lie. I lied to you, Rokurou. There was something else…something else between my last day in my dream world and the moment I was freed. And that something…was you."
The four-armed hellion blinked, some of the savagery draining from his mutated face.
"You were calling to me," Velvet went on, "begging me to come back, and I heard you. From deep within the darkness, I heard your voice. I thought I was dreaming, but…I followed the sound. I followed your cries, because even from within the seal, you were home for me. I knew you, Rokurou, and I came back to you, because you asked me to. The seal didn't break because of your strength or your swords; it broke because your pleas convinced me to break it. I came back for you, Rokurou. Only you."
"I don't believe you!" Rokurou cried. "You're lying!"
"Come back, Rokurou," Velvet said softly, still crying, her expression filled with love. "Come back to the world. I'm not leaving without you."
For some reason, Rokurou gasped, and his outstretched sword began to quiver in the air.
"Come back!" Velvet repeated, raising her voice. "Let this go! Damn it, Rokurou, come back to me!"
"Velvet," Rokurou gasped, sheathing his sword as he stumbled to his feet. "Velvet! Vel!"
Just behind Eizen, Zaveid gasped, and as Rokurou lurched towards his wife, there was a sudden eruption of silver fire that blazed forth from the palms of the Shepherd's Prime Lord and engulfed the ancient swordsman.
It should have been a beautiful moment; Eizen watched, expecting to see the flames of purification wash over his father and return him to normal just in time for his parents to embrace, reunited and happy. Instead, the seraphic power swirled around Rokurou's form and erupted into a raging inferno, and from within the blaze, he heard his father scream in agony.
"Rokurou!" Velvet cried, reaching a hand forward, only to be blown back by the force of the Silver Flame.
"What the…?" Zaveid grunted, and Eizen turned to see his uncle's outstretched arms shaking, his eyes wide with alarm as the white fire continued pouring out of him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, dear brother."
The mocking, singsong voice made Eizen turn to see Niko standing behind them, her lips displaying rows of sharp teeth in a vicious smile.
"Niko," Eizen growled. "What's going on?"
"Just think for a moment," Niko taunted. "Our father endured for many centuries through malevolence alone. When he was purified, Maotelus used his power to give our father a human body. When I reclaimed our father, malevolence gave him form once again." Her grin widened savagely. "But you don't have either power," she hissed. "Purify him like this, and he'll crumble into dust!"
And she threw back her head and laughed, that hellish, maniacal laugh Eizen loathed to his core.
"Zaveid," Eizen breathed. "Zaveid, stop. Stop!" He reached over and tried to shake his uncle out of his stance, but it was as though the wind seraph were a stone statue.
"I…I can't…" Zaveid ground out.
"Let me do it," Edna sighed, and she took her umbrella in both hands and jabbed Zaveid in the stomach.
Reflexively, Zaveid doubled over, and as he did so, the cascade of seraphic energy was cut off. When Eizen turned back to his parents, he saw the white inferno fade, leaving his father standing there, his clothing and hair and skin all restored to normal, and he began to fall. Velvet took a step to catch him, and Eizen lunged forward.
"No!" he shouted at his mother, bashing into her with his shoulder and knocking her aside. "Don't touch him!"
Rokurou's limp form fell on Eizen, and Eizen was almost relieved to still feel malevolence burning under his father's skin despite his appearance. He slowed the ancient swordsman's fall, cradling the muscular man in his arms as he sank to his knees. His father's head rolled back, the shaggy black hair falling away to reveal a vicious red-and-black mark down the right side of his face, just as it had been before Eizen was conceived.
"Rokurou," Velvet gasped.
"Mom, stay back!" Eizen snapped, trying to drag Rokurou away from his frantic mother. "He's still malevolent, you can't touch him! Zaveid, stop her!"
Zaveid swept forward on a surge of wind, just barely managing to catch Velvet by the arm before she threw herself at her fallen husband.
"Rokurou!" Velvet sobbed, desperately pulling against Zaveid's grip. "Rokurou!"
"There's only one person who can help him," Eizen told his mother solemnly, and she stilled to meet his eyes. "You know who that is. Go to the Ladylake Sanctuary and summon him; we'll be right behind you."
"No," Velvet whimpered. "No, I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving him!"
"Zaveid, take her to the Sanctuary," Eizen told his Prime Lord. "Now!"
"Rokurou!" Velvet wailed as Zaveid pulled her back. "No, I'm not leaving! Rokurou!"
"Sorry, babe," Zaveid mumbled as he tossed the distraught woman over his shoulder, and then they were gone, leaving only a gust of wind in their wake.
Eizen turned to Edna, who nodded at him, then twisted around to face his sister, who still stood where she had been, grinning. "Niko," he said softly, "if our father dies, I will never forgive you."
"You'll have no one to blame but yourself," Niko shrugged, spreading her massive crimson claws wide. "If you truly wanted him to live, you would let malevolence keep him; it is only because of your foolish ideals that everyone in this world will die eventually. Is that what you want or not?"
"It's not his time yet," Eizen snapped. "Our father has a lot of life left to live, and if you cost him that, that's on you, not me!"
"Keep telling yourself that," Niko snickered.
Praying that he wasn't miscalculating the time it would take for Zaveid to reach the barrier, praying that the gamble he was about to take would pay off, Eizen waited a few more seconds, then closed his eyes. "Hephsin Yulind," he declared.
Edna's power merged with him, and together they formed the weapons of the earth armatus: Giant's Arms. Arms meant for punching, yes, but arms far stronger than what Eizen was gifted with normally, and with these, he scooped his father up against his chest and stood, turning in the direction of Ladylake and lunging into a run.
Immediately, Niko's domain slammed down on him, as he'd known it would, but with the armatus already in place, backed by the blessing of Lord Eumacia, though his other seraphim were suppressed, Eizen was able to retain the strength and form he needed to carry his father, and he forced himself to keep running through the suffocating atmosphere. Though he had suspected it might work this way, it was still a miracle that he was able to stay armatized with Edna, and he thanked Eumacia with all his heart as he pushed himself forward.
"No!" Niko shrieked. "Stop them! Fethmus Mioma, Lusrov Rulay, in the name of the First Shadow I command you: don't let them escape!"
From above, two dragons roared, and Eizen gritted his teeth - he couldn't fight with the malevolent domain pressing down on him, he knew that, but he couldn't outrun them either. When the dragons tried to cut him off with a wall of flame, he ducked his head and dove through the fire, the burns he sustained negligible compared to what he'd suffered for the Fire Trial, and kept running, clutching his father with all his strength. Fire proving ineffective, the dragons started diving at him, the one that had been Mikleo even landing in front of him. Eizen dodged as best he could, barely scraping out of the way of claws and tails and teeth so close he could feel his mana-imbued clothes catch and tear, yet he didn't slow down. Ladylake was in sight, but it seemed so far away…
Out of nowhere, Sadie suddenly appeared, battleax in hand, and she shouted a war cry at the two dragons assaulting her Shepherd. Despite the domain that sapped at her strength just as much as it did Eizen's, she leapt forward, bashing her weapon against the white-horned dragon that had been Lailah just before it managed to knock Eizen to the ground with its tail. Confused by the new arrival of someone they also considered an enemy - and therefore one of the people Niko would mean by "they" - the dragons faltered, and Eizen pushed ahead of them, barely managing not to stumble as he darted down the hillside.
Though the massive beasts didn't stop trying to pursue him, Sadie slowed them down just enough that Eizen was in no danger, and after several painful minutes, he at last plunged through the barrier that surrounded Ladylake, leaving the domain of the Lord of Calamity behind. Within his chest, he felt Sahra and Lucine's presences once more, though neither of them spoke.
His movements freed, Eizen dashed across the bridge, through the gate, and up the streets of the stone city he knew better than any other settlement on the continent, all his attention focused on reaching the Sanctuary. At the entrance, Zaveid was standing outside and holding the ornate doors open, and Eizen carried his father across the threshold and into the sacred building, met at last by the welcome sight of Maotelus, the Dragon of Light.
"Maotelus!" he gasped, stumbling now as he reached the glowing behemoth and dropped to his knees.
"Eizen," the Great Lord said softly.
"Maotelus, please," Eizen panted, holding out the man clutched in his Giant's Arms and lifting him up, offering Rokurou to his only hope of salvation. "Please, help my father! I can't purify him or he'll crumble into dust, you have to do what you did when you saved him before I was born!"
Instead of taking the proffered figure, Maotelus bowed his head. "I can't," he told Eizen sadly.
"Wh…What?" Eizen gasped.
"When I saved Rokurou, I used all the power left from the Mana Wheel that held Innominat in place to give him a new body," Maotelus said. "That power is gone now, used up to give Velvet and Rokurou a second chance. I don't have what I would need to save him again."
"But…but you're Maotelus!" Eizen exclaimed as Sahra and Lucine emerged to manifest beside him. "You're the leader of the Five Lords! You must be able to do something!"
"I am not all-powerful," Maotelus said, shaking his massive head. "I'm sorry, Eizen, I really am…"
"Just try!" Eizen begged, his vision blurring with tears. "Please? Please try, you have to try, this is my father, your uncle, your friend! You have to try!"
"I can't," Maotelus insisted.
"Laphicet, please!" Velvet sobbed, and Eizen noticed that she was kneeling on the floor not far away. "This is Rokurou! Can't you do anything?!"
"I told you when I purified you that I wouldn't be able to save you again if you succumbed to malevolence a second time," Maotelus told her.
"But he didn't choose this!" Velvet cried. "He didn't choose to become malevolent again, the Lord of Calamity forced it on him! It's not fair!"
"What's the harm in trying?" Sahra spoke up, folding her arms behind her head. "Worst case scenario, it doesn't work, which is what would happen anyway."
"Great Lord Maotelus," Lucine said solemnly, "I do not know you personally, or these people, but…it's clear that the members of this man's family love him deeply, and I can see that you don't want to tear them apart. Won't you at least take the chance?"
"Mr. Great Lord Maotelus, sir?"
The squeak of a young, brunette girl caught everyone's attention, as Celica trotted around to kneel before the Dragon of Light, her hands clasped in front of her, though she fidgeted in place. She still can't hold still, Eizen noted distantly.
"Won't you please save my daddy?" Cellie asked, gazing up at the giant, glowing seraph. "He still has to train me in the Rangetsu style."
"Please, Maotelus," Eizen begged. "You have to try."
"I…" Maotelus's blazing eyes turned to each of the humans and seraphim laid out before him, all desperate for his help, all full of faith that he could succeed…and at last, the Great Lord caved. "I can't promise anything," he sighed, holding out one massive, shining paw, "but…give him to me. I will do my best."
"Thank you," Eizen gasped, laying his father's limp body out in the shimmering seraph's claws. "Thank you, thank you, thank you…"
He kept repeating the words, echoed by his mother and sister, as Maotelus tilted his head back, opened his jaws in a silent roar, and tore a rift in the earthpulse before clutching Rokurou against his glowing chest and diving in.
Then they were alone.
Eizen severed his bond with Edna, letting her manifest on her own as he collapsed onto his hands, gasping for air. Behind him, he heard Zaveid's boots on the carpeted floor, followed by steps that he somehow sensed belonged to Sadie.
And they waited.
Minutes crawled by, with no sign of the Great Lord of Lords. No one was willing to break the silence. Somehow, Eizen found himself sitting on the steps that led up to the altar from which he'd drawn the Sacred Blade, while Zaveid paced in front of him, Sahra and Sadie stood off to one side together, Cellie darted between the pillars along the other side of the room, and Velvet sat huddled on the floor. Edna stood at the base of the steps just next to Eizen, twirling her umbrella, and Lucine was still where she'd emerged, her violet eyes moving between each of the attendants who waited in silent vigil for whatever would come next.
Finally, Lucine walked over to Velvet.
"Um," the water seraph said softly.
Velvet jerked and looked up.
"We were never properly introduced," Lucine said awkwardly. "My name is Lucine."
"I'm…Velvet," Velvet said faintly.
Lucine nodded. "I'm sure everything will turn out okay," she told Velvet with gentle confidence. "It's clear that you and your husband love each other very much. I don't think love like what you share could be torn apart so easily."
"You'd be surprised, babe," Zaveid remarked gravely from behind her.
The water seraph turned, her eyes wide as she met his gaze. It seemed to Eizen that a thousand things passed between the two seraphim with that one look; then Zaveid recoiled, as though hurt or scared, and Lucine suddenly looked profoundly sad. After another moment, though, she shook her head, her white curls bouncing across her shoulders. "No," she said adamantly, "I don't think so, not with Lord Maotelus himself putting all his efforts into mending…Rokurou, was it?"
Eizen winced, thinking of the power that had failed to save Zaveid's love, despite that same seraph's best efforts. Maybe Velvet had thought of that too, because she stood up, drawing Lucine's attention back to her.
"I didn't get to thank you," Velvet told Lucine. "So, um, thank you, for coming to get me. Even if Rokurou…even if things don't work out, it's because of you that there's even a chance."
"Oh, don't thank me," Lucine said quickly. "It was the Squire Sadie's idea; I only lent her the power she needed to escape the cage of fire we were in."
Sadie? Eizen blinked, turning to the golden-haired girl he loved so dearly as she folded her arms in a defensive stance.
"Well, thank you for the part you played in it," Velvet told the water seraph. "And…" Slowly, she walked over to where Sadie stood, the girl's dark brown eyes darting around uncomfortably. "And thank you, too."
Sadie said nothing.
"You're…Sadie, right?" Velvet asked her. "Sadie Halloway? My son has told me a lot about you." She clasped her hands and bowed slightly. "Thank you, for telling me what was going on in time for me to stop it. I know you have no love for our family, and it means a lot to me that you would help us like this."
"We couldn't afford for Eizen to screw this up," Sadie growled. "He had a hard time killing some corrupted nobody a couple of weeks ago, so I had a feeling he wouldn't be able to kill his father, and…well, I figured, if anyone could talk that hellion down, it would be you."
"Whatever your reasons, I'm grateful to you," Velvet repeated firmly. "We all are. Thank you, Sadie."
"I don't want gratitude from someone like you," Sadie sneered, but the expression looked forced, and her tone didn't hold the bite it would once have had. Rather than a snarl of genuine hatred, her grimace looked like the face of someone trying, desperately trying, to be hateful…and failing.
"Oh, come on," Sahra chuckled, wrapping an arm around Sadie's shoulders and shaking her, "just say 'you're welcome'! Where's the harm in that?"
The Squire stumbled, trying to shake her way out of the fire seraph's grip, but though she didn't respond, her frown faltered.
"She's come a long way," Eizen said to Edna softly.
"Not all the way, but pretty far," Edna agreed. "As long as she doesn't see her parents while we're in town and they don't try to fill her head with more garbage, maybe she'll actually come around pretty soon."
Velvet had been walking away from Sadie, and now she approached her son. "Eizen," she said, "I'm so happy to see you safe."
"I'm glad to see you too, mom," Eizen said, standing up and walking down to her. "It's been a crazy journey, and I'm happy to be home."
"Your face!" Velvet gasped, reaching out and gently placing her fingers against the scar on his cheek. "What happened, sweetie?"
"Oh, it's nothing," he assured her with a smile. "Just part of a trial I had to take to earn Lord Musiphe's blessing. I'm okay."
His mother stepped forward and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back, just taking in the feels and smells of his family, his home. Home…For all he'd been through, he still had a home.
"I was so worried," she whispered. "I couldn't sleep some nights, I was so worried about where you were, whether or not you were okay."
"I know," he responded. "I'm sorry, mom, I had to go all over the continent to get what we needed to fight Niko. But everything's in place now, I shouldn't have to leave Hyland again, and soon, it'll all be over."
Light interrupted his long-overdue reunion with his mother, and they pulled apart as the signal of Maotelus's return surrounded them. Quickly, everyone ran to the front of the Sanctuary, giving the Great Lord room to manifest, as a rift opened in the earthpulse and Maotelus emerged, sweeping around and taking his place across the front half of the room. One of his massive paws still clutched something against his chest, which Eizen took as a good sign.
"Well?" Eizen asked the Great Lord. "How is he?"
"Rokurou…will live," Maotelus said slowly. "But…"
Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by the joyous gasps of Rokurou's family. "Oh, thank you!" Velvet and her children sobbed. "Thank you, thank you, thank-"
Then Maotelus extended his one upraised claw and brought it to the floor, revealing what he was carrying, and their voices choked and cut off. Eizen stared, wide-eyed, at what the Great Lord had revealed.
"I'm sorry," Maotelus said, and the Shepherd could feel the Dragon of Light's sorrow emanating from his entire, massive being. "I did my best."
If you really want to enjoy the fight between Eizen and Rokurou, look up "Tales of Berseria OST: Rokurou Rangetsu" on YouTube and play that while you read it. Seriously, that track was MADE for a boss fight, and if this was a game, I wouldn't allow anything else to play during that battle.
Shoutout to penname "RosyMiranto18" for correctly guessing Lucine's true name! And also a shoutout to that same person for guessing the thirteen souls who helped Eizen draw the Sacred Blade, albeit with a tiny bit of help (I think I'll leave the contest open to any future readers as well)…1,100 internet points to you, friend! Don't spend them all in one place. ;D
ALSO, I feel a need to justify my choices here, so I shall: No, I did not simply wimp out on killing Rokurou, I would have readily killed him if it would have served the story; however, there is some Very Important character development that will take place over the course of the next two chapters that could not happen if Rokurou died, so I'm letting him live. I will never kill OR save a character for the sake of it; if a character has to live for the story to work, then they will live, and likewise, if a character has to die for the story to work, then they will die. That is all. Merry Christmas to anyone who celebrates the holiday on the day this chapter came out.